Piper PA-28-181 accident near Dougherty, Texas, May 14, 1993
On May 14, 1993 at about 10:57 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N39663, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dougherty, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION POWER LOSS DUE TO REFUELING NOT PERFORMED BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR WAS LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 1993 · about 10:57 pm local time
- Place
- Dougherty, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N39663 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7990002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
RECORDS INDICATED THE AIRPLANE CONTAINED 48 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FLOWN FOR 2.3 HOURS BY ANOTHER PILOT. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FOR THE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PRIVATE PILOT PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT AND DID NOT REFUEL THE AIRPLANE. PERFORMANCE DATA REVIEW INDICATED A FUEL CONSUMPTION OF 10 GALLONS PER HOUR. TOTAL FLIGHT TIME WITHOUT REFUELING WAS 4.6 HOURS. AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, APPROXIMATELY 21 OUNCES OF FUEL REMAINED IN EACH WING TANK AND 3 OUNCES IN THE FUEL GASCOLATOR. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AS THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED PLOWED FURROWS
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 175 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 112 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,820 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 29, 1993; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Dynamics, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ARL Arlington TX at 8:40 pm
- Destination: PVW Plainview TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N39663 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.